Archive of Our Own ^beta

forelsket (neuter singular forelsket, definite singular and plural forelskede or forelskete)

1. in love (predicative)

   være forelsket i

   to be in love with

    

1. Morphing (what?!)

Jake honestly thinks that his new dorm is pretty neat.

Sure, most students would prefer to live off campus in their own apartment where they would have absolute privacy, but Jake is just counting his blessings at this point.

Well, he’s trying to stay optimistic. 

It is his first day officially joining the university he’ll be attending for the next four years, slaving away to get his engineering degree, so he might as well be grateful for all the little things before something absolutely disastrous happens to him.

They almost always do, especially when Jake’s starting a new chapter in his life. 

Like that time Jake was officially a teenager and an hour after that, his family was phoned by the hospital with information that his mother had gotten into a horrible car wreck and hadn’t survived.

And that time when he just moved from Brisbane to Seoul, and his first boyfriend broke up with him because of the ‘distance’, but Jake knows that it’s because he’d been cheating on Jake for a while now and just found the perfect opportunity to break things off.

And that time when he managed to score a soccer scholarship to university in his senior year of high school, but it was taken away from right under his nose because he twisted his ankle making his way down the stairs of his own home.

It’s just something that Jake has resigned himself to, by now.

He just hopes that this time, the disastrous thing won’t happen so quickly that he won’t even have the chance to enjoy his time here for a while.

Jake catches his breath for a moment before going back outside to bring in even more boxes filled with his clothes and other belongings.

The hallway is packed to the brim with the hustle and bustle of students moving into their new dorms, and Jake constantly tries to catch a glimpse of his new roommate, but he hasn’t seen anyone that might potentially fit his search.

When Jake first arrived a while ago, there had already been boxes in a corner of the dorm, so he’d just assumed that they belonged to his roommate, but said roommate was nowhere in sight. 

Maybe he left to get food?

According to the slip he’d gotten from the receptionist at the front desk, he’d be sharing a living space with someone named Park Sunghoon.

Hopefully, this Sunghoon won’t turn out to be a selfish jerk that Jake will have to deal with until he turns twenty-two.

Jake knows that people are giving him dirty looks, but he really couldn’t care less. It’s not his fault that he’s a werewolf, is it?

Contrary to popular belief, werewolves no longer turn into monsters during the full moon and eat people alive. 

Over the years, there’s been so much hybridisation of the gene that werewolves no longer lose control of themselves during the full moon any longer. At the most, Jake only feels more of an urge to expel all that extra energy from his body. 

Unfortunately, he isn’t completely off the hook, because being a werewolf in the twenty-first century means that Jake has to live with furry wolf ears instead of human ears. At least he doesn’t have a tail. 

People are much more progressive, but they still look at him like he’s a freak because the wolf genome really isn’t something you see everyday. He knows he shouldn’t blame them, but he does.

As Jake bends down to place the last box of clothes on the floor, he hears the door creak open, and a smooth, yet quiet voice call out: “Sim Jaeyun?”

Jake whips his head around and sees quite possibly the most handsome man he has seen in his whole life.

The guy shuffling his feet awkwardly next to the open door is tall, definitely taller than Jake, and is dressed in a sweater with neatly pressed slacks.

But that’s not what draws in Jake’s attention.

This guy’s face? That’s the real star of the show.

His facial structure is so perfect that he’d probably get mistaken for being a celebrity on the streets, like the way certain people just look like they were born to be famous.

From the strong slope of his nose, to his impossibly sharp jawline, to the way even his moles dot his face so artistically that Jake laments God’s unfairness, Jake is pretty sure that he’s about to wheeze from pure delight.

Jake also notes his starkly pale complexion in contrast to Jake’s own honey golden skin, but even that suits the guy perfectly, damn it.

There isn’t a single flaw that Jake can single out from him at all.

God, he really hopes that this is Park Sunghoon.

He sure wouldn’t mind having a roommate that’s easy on the eyes. It’d definitely be a wonderful perk to be greeted with that beautiful face after a fatiguing day.

Mister Hopefully Park Sunghoon is still holding onto a black duffel bag, looking as if he doesn’t know whether to stay or go, and Jake suddenly realises that he’s waiting for Jake’s confirmation.

”Yes! Yes, I’m Sim Jaeyun. Or you can call me Jake. Whatever you want. Are you Park Sunghoon? My roommate?” Jake blurts out excitedly in one go.

Sunghoon nods slightly from his position beside the door, and he slowly edges into the room cautiously, making his way to the boxes Jake had seen in the corner earlier.

Jake tilts his head in confusion. 

Does he not like me? Did I come off too strong? …Is it these ears?

Jake gets up onto his feet and dusts himself off before making his way to Sunghoon.

He sticks one hand out. “Um. Nice to meet you? If you couldn’t tell, i’m a werewolf. If that bothers you, I—“

“No! No, it doesn’t! I…” Sunghoon places his duffel bag down on his bed, evidently hesitating for a moment before he lifts a hand up, and grabs Jake’s own in a tentative handshake.

A sudden and shudder grips Jake’s body violently, and he gasps audibly in shock, pulling away from Sunghoon quickly.

There is a stinging sensation on his wrist that feels a lot like an electrocution, and Jake looks down at it, seeing a symbol.

More specifically, a symbol of a penguin. The area around the symbol looks red and rather inflamed actually, as if Jake had been branded and imprinted on by a hot iron. 

He feels like he has been. 

Because in the world where Jake lives, having a symbol appear on your wrist can only mean one thing.

He’s met his soulmate.

His soulmate who is currently staring at him, eyebrows knitted in concern. 

Well, he definitely isn’t as shaken up as Jake currently is, then. 

All his life, Jake had heard talk of soulmates from all around him. He knew that his parents were soulmates, and how they were connected to each other in a way that was meaningful to only them. 

Movies and Television Shows constantly portrayed it as something so spectacular and spell-binding, because of how rare it was, and how having a soulmate meant that the both of you were special, and different from the rest.

So sure, Jake had always wanted to experience that for himself, but he didn’t expect it to happen at this very moment, on his first day of university!

”You’re my soulmate?” Jake exclaims incredulously, looking up at Sunghoon.

On hindsight, his tone might’ve sounded much more hostile than he’d intended it to be because of how immensely overwhelmed he was, and Sunghoon probably thought that he meant it in a malicious way. 

Because before Jake could fully process the current situation, he watches as the man before him disappears, a penguin taking his place instead.

A Penguin.

Jake gapes. He feels lightheaded, and he thinks he might quite possibly faint.

There was only one explanation for a man turning into animals in broad daylight.

Here’s the thing. When emotions run high, it isn’t uncommon for vampires to morph into their chosen animal as a means of defending themselves. 

For instance, when your soulmate seems upset to have you as theirs.

Jake blinks rapidly, ”Oh, my God. My soulmate is a vampire?” 

It’s an unspoken rule that werewolves do not gel well with vampires at all. 

It was just how things were always meant to be. No one said it, but everyone knew it.

And if Jake wasn’t wrong (he flunked his high school history class), the last sighting of a vampire in Seoul was at least a decade ago before he migrated to a different country because of all the unnecessary attention he garnered. 

It was, and has always been, Cats and Dogs. Fire and Ice. Day and Night. Right and Left. Werewolves and Vampires.

He’d always been taught to hate them, especially by all his werewolf peers. According to them, vampires were bloodthirsty creatures who deserved to rot away in a ditch for the rest of their miserable and unending lives.

Jake had never truly believed in that— he always found vampires extremely fascinating— the war between the two species just never made any sense to him.

And he’d sworn so many times that if he ever met a vampire, he’d never succumb to the same biased mindsets that his fellow werewolves chose to believe in.

What are the chances that when one is right in front of him, he doesn’t know how to react?

Is this the disastrous thing Jake would have to face this time?

2. Drinking Blood (you gotta do what you gotta do)

“Sunghoon? Sunghoon, i’m sorry! I swear I didn’t mean for that to come out the way it did. I love that you’re my soulmate and a vampire. I mean I don’t love it but— I— I’m not mad at you, I swear! Please change back…” Jake squats down, feeling a bit foolish talking to an animal that refuses to even face him.

Sunghoon’s penguin form, despite being curled up in a tight ball, is actually really cute. He’s much smaller compared to his human size, and extremely furry as well.

Jake slowly extends a hand, trying not to make any sudden movements so as to not startle Sunghoon. 

He manages to place his hand atop Sunghoon’s furry little head without resistance, and when Sunghoon leans into his touch, Jake gently strokes the grey fur comfortingly.

He feels really bad for yelling at Sunghoon.

Slowly but surely, Sunghoon unravels himself back into a full penguin and his gaze on Jake is still as intense as it had been when he was a human. It makes Jake nervous.

With a little shake, Sunghoon transforms back into a human, sitting on the floor opposite Jake. 

Jake heaves a silent sigh of relief.

Sunghoon is still frowning, ”Are you sure you don’t mind? I know it isn’t common to see a vampire these days. And I know you’re a werewolf, and you guys hate us, so I—“

”So you don’t mind that i’m a werewolf either?” 

“What? Of course not! I thought you’d hate me because I’m a vampire! Wait. Do you?”

”No! Not at all!” Jake hurriedly yells, not wanting Sunghoon to get the wrong idea that he was some bigot. “I was just shocked to see a vampire after so long,”

Sunghoon smiles, “I get that. I’d probably be shocked too if I were you.” He stands up and extends an arm out to pull Jake up to his feet as well. 

”My soulmark is a puppy, by the way.” He turns his right wrist to face Jake, who grabs and analyses it enthusiastically.

On it is a symbol that is almost identical to Jake’s except for the animal. It looks a lot like Jake’s border collie, Layla, back home.

For a moment, Jake feels his heart ache from how much he misses her. If it’s gonna be her that’s on Sunghoon’s wrist representing Jake, then he doesn’t mind at all. 

Jake let’s go of Sunghoon’s wrist with a smile.

He watches as Sunghoon reaches into his duffel bag and pulls out a metal bottle, gulping down the contents. When he pulls away, his lips are evidently a much brighter red than they had been before.

It’s blood, isn’t it?

Jake gulps unintentionally, looking away out of courtesy. If history books were right, looking at a vampire drinking blood was like peeping at a human changing.

He honestly didn’t even know vampires still drank blood. On hindsight, it is rather stupid to believe that they switched from their primary haemoglobin source to just drinking plain water.

If Jake wiggles his nose just the right way, he can smell the metallic tang of it wafting through the dorm. And also the type of blood it is. Werewolf and all.

Cow’s blood, apparently.

Sunghoon clears his throat. “You can look, y’know. It doesn’t bother me, really. Unless…it bothers you?” 

”Just a bit. I have a small fear of blood. But it’s no problem! You need it for sustenance, don’t you?” Jake quickly reassures. 

”Unfortunately. But don’t worry, this is animal blood. I’m not a cannibal, I swear. We’ve evolved so much that I can eat human food too. Speaking of which, I am rather hungry.”

Jake is glad that he seems much more at ease than he’d been initially. He must’ve really been worried that Jake would hate him because of his vampirism. As if Jake would ever hate on someone for something they can’t control.

He’s gotten enough from others for that reason himself.

Jake is secretly glad that it isn’t human blood, though. He wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t do well with blood. Small amounts are okay, but seeing large quantities only makes him feel sick.

It probably stems from the deep-rooted issue of having been brutally attacked by an older and much more powerful lycanthrope as a child, but Jake refuses to think about that.

”You drink cow’s blood, right? Werewolf, remember?” Jake grins, pointing to his the top of his head.

”Right. Your ears are very cute.”

Jake can hear the blood rushing to his face because of his enhanced hearing, and he’s pretty sure Sunghoon has that ability too, from the way he smirks at Jake after tucking his bottle snugly into the back end of the refrigerator.

But then again, even a human could tell from how red Jake is. It’s not his fault! Anyone would feel like that from having such an attractive person compliment an aspect of their features that they’d always been insecure about. 

“Well, Jaeyun, i’m gonna drop by the canteen for a sandwich. You want anything?” 

“Oh! No, thank you!” Jake replies, distracted by the way Sunghoon says his Korean name.

He hasn’t heard anyone use it since he told people to call him Jake in Brisbane. But if it’s Sunghoon, making an exception won’t be difficult at all. 

“See you then, roomie.” Sunghoon exits the room with a dopey grin.

Jake continues staring at the door even after he swings up, and he can hear his own heartbeat quicken its pace.

It’s a totally justifiable reaction, Jake thinks.

…Is it?

3. Avoiding Sunlight (jake pities him)

Jake is really glad that Sunghoon’s his roommate.

Maybe the whole vampire thing surprised him at first, but Sunghoon kept it so well under wraps so as to not bother Jake that half the time, Jake doesn’t even remember he’s one. 

He’s also probably the least judgemental person Jake knows, which means a lot to him because he’s basically been judged his whole life for being a werewolf.

And being Sunghoon’s roommate meant that Jake got to learn a lot more about him, which was really interesting and not boring, unlike the history lessons everyone was forced to take in high school to learn how various species needed to peacefully co-exist in harmony. 

One of the things he’d learnt from Sunghoon was that vampires were no longer the same as they’d been, or like Jake had known them to be from both rumours and textbooks alike.

They’d actually hybridised a lot, much like werewolves actually, in order to blend into the human world well enough to not be burnt at stakes.

Whereas vampires used to survive on human blood, they could now consume human foods of all sorts and simply replenish themselves with animal blood once in a while. They just needed it for the extra energy, really.

He now knows that Sunghoon prefers cow blood the most out of all animals, because he’s loved steak ever since he was a kid. 

He also knows that Sunghoon’s chosen animal form is a penguin, because Sunghoon loves the cold as well as the snow. A penguin is super fitting, isn’t it? In fact, he also now knows that Sunghoon loved the cold so much that he used to do figure skating professionally as a child.

Jake wishes that he could have seen Sunghoon figure skating at least once. Lucky for him, Sunghoon still spends time routinely on the ice, but for ice hockey now, instead. 

Sunghoon’s very close with his ice hockey team, actually. A lot of people are still unwilling to accept him because of the whole vampire thing, and Sunghoon isn’t the type to step out of his comfort zone to beg others for their friendship, either. 

He’s usually introverted, unless it’s with people he trusts and feels comfortable with. Jake truly and proudly feels like he’s making his way up there.

They haven’t really broached the soulmate topic either, but Jake doesn’t mind. He isn’t in any rush to get married and live a lifetime with someone or anything, so he doesn’t feel that need that some people might to cement their soulmate’s and their love in stone.

He’s just grateful to be able to be in such close proximity with someone that means so much to him.

Sunghoon had gotten into the same university as Jake on an ice hockey scholarship, playing for their country competitively, and he was pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science. 

Jake likes to think that he’d be doing the same for soccer if not for his busted ankle the previous year. Now, he only plays on the school team, which of course he’s still eternally grateful for—

—it’s just…a lot lamer.

They also face plenty of problems, especially because their headstrong captain just loved to pick fights with the other sports teams for a practice slot.

Particularly with the ice hockey team.

They played on the ice, but they had to train up their stamina on the university field as well by doing different exercises. 

That, however, overlaps and interferes with the soccer team’s practice time, incurring Jay’s wrath.

“Jay, just let it go! We can practice somewhere else, like…the basketball court or something! They’re not having practice today.” Jake pleads, grabbing onto Jay’s jersey sleeve and pulling at it resolutely.

He really isn’t one to enjoy confronting others when there’s a conflict of any sort. He likes to think of himself as more of a peacemaker. (don’t know how true that is, though.)

Heeseung and Jay are best friends until it comes to the art of sharing a common space. They’re just too defensive of their respective sports to give in. 

Jay shakes his arm off, throwing the soccer ball wedged under his armpit to the ground in a rather comical gesture of threat. ”No! The soccer field is our spot! It’s not called the ice hockey field for a reason.” 

Heeseung glares at Jay. “Dude! Look, just let us have it this time. You have tomorrow! We’ll be at the rink, and we won’t bother you. Back me up here, Hoon.” He snaps his fingers in front of Sunghoon’s face.

Jake suppresses a laugh at Sunghoon’s constipated expression. He knows Sunghoon hates it just as much as he does when Heeseung and Jay get into another argument regarding the soccer field.

He looks a bit red, too, actually. It’s mildly worrying, considering his typical alabaster skin. 

“Fine, we’re doing this? C’mon Jake, you back me up as well, then—“

“Okay, enough! Why are you arguing among yourselves? Jungwon and I are here for a reason!” Sunoo shouts, kicking the goalpost for dramatic effect.

He looks more adorable than intimidating if Jake were to be completely honest, but he knows better than to make Sunoo angrier. 

Everyone gulps, and redirects their attention to the student council president and vice-president. 

Jake relaxes minutely. He’s unarguably glad that Jay was interrupted by Sunoo. If not, he’d be forced to go against Sunghoon in some sick and twisted game that Jay and Heeseung would come up with, and he really doesn’t want to do that.

Why can’t they just share the field? It’s gigantic anyway, Jake thinks, grumbling to himself.

“Exactly! I know the ice hockey team booked the slot for today, but the soccer team’s coach also said that they always reserve the rights to use the field at any time. It’s a difficult situation, so you guys should settle this civilly instead of fighting. It’s not gonna solve the problem! Or…why don’t you just share the field?” Jungwon looks at Jay peevishly, while the latter involuntarily trembles under the gaze of his boyfriend.

Jake feels a little terrible. On one hand, he’s secretary and part of the student council too, so he knows how tiring it must be to manage nonsensical disputes between the different co-curricular activities of their university.

On the other hand, however, he probably doesn’t feel as terrible as he should be because the involvement of the student council means that the two captains would probably resolve their problem much quicker this time.

Hopefully. It was one of Jake’s cleverer ideas. He’s tired of having to waste half an hour or more on their long and unwonted justifications of using the field. 

At this point, both teams have likely spent more time on agreeing with a compromise than on the actual practice itself.

He’s also maybe been pretending not to see the daggers both Jungwon and Sunoo have consistently sent him with their eyes throughout Jay and Heeseung’s verbal battle.

Heeseung scoffs and shakes his head, which Jake thinks is rather hypocritical of him, really. “You’re hen-pecked, Park Jongseong—“

“Lee Heeseung!” Sunoo exclaims, eyes narrowing dangerously.

”I mean— it’s fine. Guys, let’s just use the basketball court instead. Like Jake said, it’s available.” Heeseung adds nervously before swallowing, similarly withering under the furious gaze of his boyfriend. 

Sunghoon barks out a loud laugh, disguising it horribly with a fake cough.

This earns him an elbow jab in the side from Heeseung, and he holds back a groan, sending Jake an exaggeratedly pained look. 

Jake feels the corners of his lips start to lift up, and he quickly looks down to hide his budding smile before anyone sees it.

Jay has obviously seen it though, because he gives Jake what could possibly be the most unamused look known to mankind while Jake tries to avoid his knowing gaze.

”Well! If we’re finally done here, Jungwon and I have to do other more important duties.” Sunoo huffs, grabbing Jungwon by the arm and walking away. 

Jake watches in amusement as Heeseung and Jay both ditch their teams to chase after their respective partners.

Everyone groans collectively knowing that their practice time has been cut into again, separating into various smaller groups for mindless chit-chat instead.

When Jake sees Sunghoon standing alone in the middle of the field, he joyfully skips his way over and gives him a gentle tap on the shoulder. 

“Hey, Hoonie. Are you okay? You’re a little red.” 

Sunghoon turns around, face lighting up when he sees that it’s Jake, “Yeah, yeah. Can we go in the shade, though?” He asks, a little breathlessly.

Jake nods immediately, pulling Sunghoon by the arm into a sheltered part of the soccer field and sitting down on a bench, tugging Sunghoon down along with him. 

Instantly, the redness in Sunghoon’s face dissipates, and he looks much better. 

“Am I losing it, or are you a lot less red?” Jake questions in amazement, pulling at Sunghoon’s cheeks to inspect his face.

”No, you’re not. I forgot my sunscreen today.” 

Jake drops his hand. “Wait. Sunscreen? You really can’t be out in the sun without protection?” 

“Did you forget I was a vampire?” Sunghoon quirks an eyebrow in amusement.

”I thought that was a myth! That’s crazy, no wonder you like the cold so much.”

Sunghoon nods, a subtle smile appearing on his face. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve brought my sunscreen for you!” Jake pouts, nudging his shoulder against Sunghoon’s.

”It’s okay, Jaeyun. I didn’t want to trouble you again.”

”You’d never trouble me!” Jake protests, and Sunghoon looks at him so fondly that his thoughts start inching towards the dangerous and untouchable part of his mind.

The part that thinks he might have a chance with Sunghoon.

There’d been so many things Jake had thought he’d known about vampires that Sunghoon debunked, and now he’s unsure of what to believe and what not to. But that’s okay. That’s what Sunghoon is here for, isn’t it? 

“Anyway. Did you see Heeseung and Jay just now? All it took was one look from Sunoo and Jungwon to send them running! It was a brilliant idea when you got the student council to manage this. Keep this up for the next few arguments and there won’t be any left!” Sunghoon laughs boldly, throwing his head back.

“Sunoo and Jungwon almost killed me when I asked them for their help! Do you want me kicked out of the council?” Jake rolls his eyes.

Sunghoon sighs exasperatedly. ”And if I said yes? I know how late you stay up every night with the amount of workload you have to complete.”

“Sunghoon. I’ve told you this so many times! It’s fine. I can handle it.” 

Sunghoon glances at Jake skeptically before dropping the topic altogether and putting his arm around Jake to pull him closer by the shoulder. 

Physical affection wasn’t anything weird between them. They were both quite touchy with their close friends, and it helped them show their appreciation for one another in a way that didn’t require verbal communication.

It was like coming home after an exhausting day and being too tired to say anything, but knowing that someone is there for you just from being able to feel them there. 

He feels Sunghoon’s fingers running through his hair, occasionally stopping to stroke his ears.

”Don’t. You know I hate my ears.”

Sunghoon furrows his eyebrows in genuine confusion, looking down at Jake, ”Why?” 

“What do you mean? They make me look like a freak! I basically am, anyway. A werewolf? Today?” Jake snorts.

“No way! They’re cute! Haven’t I told you that before?” 

Jake thinks back on their first meeting and frowns. “Weren’t you joking?”

”What? I love your ears! They make you special, Jaeyun.” Sunghoon says firmly, forcing Jake to look him in the eyes as if that would fully solidify his statement. “You know, I knew you were my soulmate the moment I saw you. I thought you’d reject me like everyone else did for being a vampire, but you didn’t. So what makes you think I’d do that to you?”

He can’t actually hear the flow of Sunghoon’s blood like he can with humans because of the whole vampire thing, but if he could, he’s quite sure it’d be deafening with how passionate he seems about this. 

If he hadn’t already said it, Jake is everlastingly thankful that his soulmate is Sunghoon. He doesn’t even need to say anything, but it’s like Sunghoon already knows what he’s trying to convey. For someone who sometimes struggles with expressing his emotions, it’s really something that matters the world to him.  

Jake leans his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder, and they sit for a while in comfortable silence waiting for their respective team captains to return.

4. Immortality (they just get crazier…)

“Sunghoon, can you get the door? I just need to pen this down before I lose my train of thought.”

Sunghoon hums and puts his phone down before getting up and making his way to their door. 

The moment he opens it, Jake hears a familiar voice ring out, “Hyung!”

He throws his pen haphazardly onto his bed before jumping up and running to the door where Sunghoon is standing, looking puzzled.

Like he’d expected, it’s Ni-ki in the flesh, standing tall with a bag of takeout in his hands.

He looks so much taller than the last time Jake had seen him, and he’s probably even taller than Jake now. It makes Jake’s heart ache to be unable to witness the full process of his brother growing up because they’re separated by several miles.

Thankfully, Ni-ki applied for Jake’s university, and he’s just waiting for the application results to return. Jake has been praying every night that they accept him.

Ni-ki’s face looks more mature as well, but the long scar across his eyebrow is still there. Everytime Jake sees it, he’s imbued with such an overwhelming feeling of guilt that he loses his grip sometimes. 

Maybe if he’d protected Ni-ki better back then, neither of them would’ve been attacked and subsequently turned into werewolves.

And maybe if he had, Ni-ki wouldn’t have been hurt so badly, leaving the scar on his face as a permanent reminder of Jake’s incompetence.

But it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Jake is seeing his beloved baby brother for the first time in months.

”My baby!” Jake yells out in elation, throwing himself onto his younger brother in a tight embrace.

“What are you doing here?” He questions, pulling away before ruffling Ni-ki’s hair affectionately.

“I just thought i’d visit you! It feels like we haven’t seen each other in forever. And Appa wanted me to bring you the headphones that you asked him for.” Ni-ki replies, stepping into the dorm before pausing to squint in suspicion. 

“What’s that smell—“

”Oh! Ni-ki, this is Sunghoon, my roommate.” Jake smiles widely, gesturing toward Sunghoon who is still standing beside the door, unsure of whether to make a move or not.

Ni-ki’s snaps his head towards Jake, “A vamp?” 

“Yeah, but don’t worry! He’s one of my best friends.” Jake quickly reassures, reaching out to grab Sunghoon by the wrist and pulling him forward so that he’s standing directly in front of Ni-ki.

Ni-ki narrows his eyes again, analysing Sunghoon from head to toe. Jake wants to laugh when he sees Sunghoon nervously gulp. Ni-ki didn’t have any bad intentions, of course. He’d just always been more reserved around new people until finding reason to trust them.

It also doesn’t help that Jake and him had both grown up in an environment where basically all the werewolves they know consistently hate on vampires whenever they can. Jake just hopes that Ni-ki has adopted the same attitude that he has when meeting a vampire for the first time in his life.

Seemingly satisfied, Ni-ki sticks his free hand out without saying a word, waiting for Sunghoon to shake it. 

Oh, thank God.

Jake heaves a sigh of silent relief when Sunghoon grins gratefully before taking his hand. Normally, people thought of Ni-ki as too cold and aloof, and that he was rude towards his seniors.

He’s glad that even though Ni-ki basically invaded Sunghoon’s living space before judging him, Sunghoon didn’t seem to mind at all. It provides Jake with peace of mind.

Ni-ki places the bag of takeout on the table beside Jake’s bed before sitting down on his bed. 

A few moments of silence reign before Jake decides to speak up. “Does anyone wanna watch a movie?”

Sunghoon coughs, ”I think i’ll just go, you guys can watch it together—“

”No, stay!” Jake cuts in, scowling at Sunghoon who looks ready to leave. He knows how often Sunghoon goes out of his way to avoid awkward situations, but that stops today.

Sunghoon doesn't relent, but neither does Jake, and the two of them remain in the center of the room, challenging each other in a stare-off.

Eventually, however, Sunghoon snorts before jabbing a finger into Jake’s side playfully. “Fine, fine, i’ll stay, whatever. Just let me change, though. I need to leave for hockey training after this.”

Jake lets out a whoop of delight, revelling in his tiny victory before letting go of Sunghoon so he can change in the toilet. 

“Hyung, how come you never told me about you two?” Ni-ki suddenly pipes up from his comfortable position on Jake’s bed.

Jake’s eyebrows knit in confusion before he sits himself down beside Ni-ki. “Hm? What do you mean?”

”…That your boyfriend is a vamp?” Ni-ki says matter-o-factly, as if it is the most obvious thing to everyone in the world except Jake.

“What?” Jake pounces onto Ni-ki and uses a hand to cover his mouth. “Keep your voice down! He’s in the toilet!” 

Ni-ki murmurs some gibberish that Jake doesn’t process before licking his hand, causing him to retract it with a loud yelp.

The younger glares at Jake incredulously. ”Are you not together?” 

“Why would you ever think that we’re a couple?” Jake hisses, face heating up while hitting Ni-ki’s arm.

”Well, you clearly like him! And don’t tell me you don’t see the way he looks—“

The toilet door opens with a loud creak and Jake immediately gets off of Ni-ki, pretending like nothing ever happened. (he’s clearly not the best at acting, though, because Sunghoon gives him a very suspicious look.)

Sunghoon has changed into his hockey uniform, and Jake cringes at how uncomfortable he looks. He almost feels bad for making Sunghoon stay to watch a movie, but his mind is still stuck on Ni-ki’s incomplete sentence.

”Why are your cheeks bright red? Do you want me to turn down the air-conditioning or something?” 

Ni-ki chokes, and Jake glowers at him viciously.

“No, no! I’m fine, Sunghoon. So! What movie shall we watch?” He claps anxiously, reaching over to his bedside table to retrieve his laptop.

Ni-ki wiggles his eyebrows stupidly. “Twilight.”

”Really?” Jake sniffs, unimpressed.

But Sunghoon doesn’t seem to protest, only crossing his arms and looking bemused, so Jake opens netflix anyway, and starts the movie.

Other than the fact that the three of them have to squeeze snugly into Jake’s bed in order to get a good view of the laptop screen, the movie continues running surprisingly well. 

Sunghoon and Ni-ki both have similar opinions about the movie, and they agree on each other’s comments occasionally pointing out or sharing something funny.

Jake’s really just glad they’re not in some brawl stemming from a disagreement or something. 

Ni-ki even falls asleep after a while, slumped against Jake’s headboard. He must’ve been all tired out because of the long journey from their hometown all the way to Jake’s college.

Jake brushes the bangs away from his brother’s eyes tenderly before gently lifting his head and placing a pillow underneath. 

Subconsciously, his index finger traces the scar across Ni-ki’s eyebrow from top to bottom. 

“I did this to him, you know.” Jake mutters, glancing at Sunghoon beside him briefly before looking at Ni-ki’s face again.

Yes, he looks more mature, but he still looks just as much like a child as he had when he was younger. He is so young, and Jake wishes everyday that he hadn’t gotten the same fate, resigned to a life of alienation from those around them. 

In the blink of an eye, he has Sunghoon’s full attention, the movie still playing already long forgotten as Jake feels the ever-tender touch of Sunghoon’s palm on his back, his hand moving up and down comfortingly as if asking Jake to continue. 

Jake is more than thankful. He has a tendency to launch into a completely different topic at the most random of times, but whereas people usually got annoyed at him for it, Sunghoon would always just listen and comment when Jake wanted him to. He really was just sweet like that.

“When I was twelve, and Ni-ki was ten, we were attacked by a werewolf.” Jake breathes out.

“I’m not a born werewolf, and neither is he. Our parents were fully human in every way possible, if you can believe it. We had…a camp that we both attended regularly, and on this one particular day, it was the night of the full moon. Even back then, it wasn’t very common to see werewolves, so we thought it would’ve been safe for us to just venture into the woods after lights out to find Pokémon. Don’t ask, but it was Ni-ki’s hobby back then.” Jake laughs softly.

Sunghoon smiles at him encouragingly, the hand on his back never ceasing its movement.

”Anyway. We were in the woods after dark with only one flashlight, when Ni-ki heard some rustling from behind us. I thought he was just being paranoid because at his age he used to think there were monsters everywhere, so I just kept walking. I only took maybe three steps before I heard his scream. When I turned around, he was being attacked by a werewolf. I tried my best to help, but he was so big, and so strong, and I couldn’t do anything while he attacked the both of us. That’s why I kinda have a fear of blood, y’know? Eventually, the camp instructors came looking for us and they found us, all bloody and injured. I got out relatively fine, but Ni-ki had been scratched across the face so violently that it left this scar.” Jake continues, eyes trailing back onto Ni-ki’s face.

“He turned us both into lycanthropes. I was older, so it was easier for my body to manage, but Ni-ki had to go through so much more pain on nights of the full moon. I can still remember how he had to be locked in the hospital room alone, suffering while I waited outside for dawn. I’m just lucky we both got out with our lives. I keep thinking, if I’d managed to protect him better back then, would we still—“

Jake is cut off when Sunghoon tugs him into his arms. 

He cries. It’s muffled because he doesn’t want to wake Ni-ki up, but he knows that Sunghoon knows he is crying.

His tears trickle down Sunghoon’s shoulder that he’s laying on, making his hockey uniform all damp and gross, but Sunghoon doesn’t even seem to care. 

He just pulls Jake impossibly closer.

“He’s just a kid, Hoon. I’m his brother, and I couldn’t even do anything to help him.” Jake mumbles, burying his face deeper into Sunghoon’s chest. 

The hand that had been running up and down his back stops its movements for a while, cupping Jake’s face and pulling him away from Sunghoon’s body. 

This way, Jake is forced to look into Sunghoon’s eyes, and he feels so vulnerable that he might shatter from any sudden movements made.

“Jaeyun, listen to me. What happened that night isn’t your fault. If anything, I blame the camp instructors for not protecting you better. You were both children, not just Ni-ki. There was no way you could’ve fought off that werewolf by yourself. Don’t you realise? You’ve been beating yourself up all these years for something that isn’t even remotely close to being your fault. I know that i’ve only known him for a few hours, but I have no doubt that Ni-ki thinks the world of you, and he doesn’t blame you for one second about what happened to him. You both went through something no kid should ever have to experience, and it’s not on you in any way. Okay?” 

And he sounds so much like he genuinely believes it that Jake nods vehemently, bottom lip trembling slightly from the fresh barrage of tears that he can feel is coming along. 

Sunghoon uses his thumb to wipe the tears falling down Jake’s cheeks away gently.

“Besides, you have me to protect the both of you from now on. I promise.” He jokes, obviously trying to uplift the somber mood that has taken over the room.

Jake snorts, “I’m not a weakling! I don’t need you to. Besides, you don’t stand a chance against that werewolf, I mean, you should’ve seen him. Enormous!” He reaches back to flick Sunghoon on the forehead.

Sunghoon catches his hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing it before laughing, “Yeah, but i’m a vampire, remember?”

”…So?”

Sunghoon furrows his brows. “I can’t die.”

”You’re kidding! I mean— I believed you when you talked about not being able to be in the sun, but isn’t this only something that movie vampires experience? Like Edward?” Jake gapes, pointing towards the computer screen where the movie is still playing. 

He’s so surprised by Sunghoon’s statement that he’s momentarily distracted from reliving the past again.

”We’re not that evolved, I guess.” Sunghoon shrugs nonchalantly.

Jake scrunches his nose up at him, “Right, because that’s something super casual. We’re not done talking about this, okay?” 

A few moments of comfortable silence pass between them. Jake is unsure of what to say, because he has so much to convey.

I appreciate you so much.

Thank you for always being here for me.

You’re the only one who understands me.

You make me feel emotions I never thought I was capable of.

Instead, he just says: “Sorry for getting snot all over your uniform.”

“It’s fine, you basically do all our laundry anyway.”

Jake laughs wetly before hesitating. “…Do you really promise?”

“Hm?”

”To protect us.”

Sunghoon smiles against Jake’s hair before placing a kiss on the crown of his head. “Of course, baby. Forever.” 

They both choose to ignore Sunghoon’s slip of tongue and the consequent pet name.

5. Enhanced Senses (damn it)

It isn’t successful.

Jake cannot stop thinking about the pet name for one second. 

Like a broken record, the word ‘baby’ uttered by Sunghoon in that impossibly tender voice replays incessantly in his mind.

He feels like he might possibly be going insane.

Sure, he and Sunghoon are close, but do people who are just close call each other 'baby'? 

Because to him, it certainly sounds like something much more intimate. 

Sure, they’re soulmates, and maybe Sunghoon only said it in the heat of the moment to comfort Jake, perhaps because he just wanted Jake to stop crying, but then again that also means that there is a possibility— however small— that Sunghoon returns his feelings.

And that makes Jake more nervous than anything.

Does he like Sunghoon?

In a platonic sense, Sunghoon is without a doubt the person he trusts the most, and Jake knows that he’ll be lost without Sunghoon in his life. But he’s never allowed his thoughts to stray to the both of them in a romantic way.

He’s much too scared to face that. That as in his feelings being unreciprocated.

He truly doesn’t know what he’d do if his soulmate hates him.

Which is why he decides to talk to the two other people in his life who he trusts the most.

”I need to get your opinions about something.” Jake says determinedly, slamming the cover of the prototype of the school’s new yearbook shut. 

“I knew it! We’re never gonna finish planning for this. We might as well hand over our council badges now.” Jungwon groans, letting his head fall forward and hit the table.

Sunoo shakes his head, “He’s just being dramatic because of trouble in paradise. Ignore him.” 

“Why? What did Jay do now?”

“He forgot their anniversary,” Sunoo giggles.

Jungwon curls his hand into a fist before aggressively pounding it on the table. ”Can you believe it? Three years, and it’s like none of it meant anything to him!” 

“SHHH!” 

The three of them whip around to see a group of students at the table behind them vigorously shushing them. 

Rude. They’re the reason the university even has a properly functioning library anyway.

”Maybe it’s a genuine mistake?” Jake suggests, whispering as quietly as he can.

”That’s what i’ve been telling him the whole of today! Heeseung forgets our anniversaries all the time! I’ve just learnt to look past it.” Sunoo adds, looking at Jungwon sympathetically before rubbing his back softly. 

Jungwon lowers his voice. “I know. I’m just upset because I feel like we’ve been going through a romantic dry spell lately.” He rubs his hand mildly across his face. “But enough about that. What did you want to talk to us about?”

Sunoo nods in agreement, leaning forward curiously to listen to Jake.

”Well, I…I think I like Sunghoon.” Jake confesses.

Several beats of awkward silence pass.

”Aren’t the two of you already dating?” Sunoo blurts out, eyebrows raising in disbelief.

”Oh my God, right? Are you sure you aren’t? Even Jay thinks so!” Jungwon chimes in.

Jake tugs at his hair in frustration, letting out a garbled scream before the table behind them glowers menacingly for a second time.

Sunoo glares back at them. 

Jake exhales, “Jesus, why does everyone think that?”

Sunoo merely shrugs while Jungwon sends Jake a pity-filled look. “You guys are just so…close. It’s hard to believe two people aren’t together when they’re constantly acting like a couple. And do you not see the way he looks at you?” 

“Why? How does he look at me?” Jake asks, waiting with bated breath for an answer to his long-time question. Why do people keep bringing that up?

”No, wait,” Sunoo interrupts, placing his chin atop his palm with interest. “Tell us how you feel when you’re with him.”

Jake contemplates for a moment, looking down at his hands. “Um…safe? That’s the immediate feeling that comes to my mind. I guess I just feel safe enough to not have to put on a brave front like I usually do. It’s like I can let my guard down with him the way I can’t with other people, because he makes me feel so at ease. Sometimes, it’s so intense that I can’t breathe because I feel like I might die if I lose him. And I don’t think i’ll ever feel this way with anyone ever again, and i’ll probably die all alone without being able to feel that same level of love that I do when i’m with him because I just look at him and I— I know. I’m so sure that I need him, and he needs me back. I feel wanted, I feel…needed.”

When Jake looks back up, feeling inexplicably better, Jungwon and Sunoo have matching cheshire cat-like grins on their faces. 

“What? What’s with that devious look?”

Sunoo looks at him expectantly, ”Do you not hear yourself, Jake Sim?” 

“Repeat what you just told us to yourself, but in your head this time.” Jungwon snickers.

And Jake does. Again, and again, and again.

And then he comes to the ground-breaking (but not really) realisation that he is indeed in love with Park Sunghoon. 

Completely, and utterly in love. 

“Oh, my God. I don’t just like him, i’m in love with him.” 

Sunoo and Jungwon exchange a look before holding up their hands to give each other a high-five.

Jake slides down his chair, mind reeling from the conclusion that probably should’ve taken a much shorter time for him to come to.

Jungwon huffs. “Well, now that you know that, finally, might I add, I think the next best course of action would be to tell—“

“Except I don’t think he needs to anymore.” Sunoo drags out in a sheepish tone. 

“Oh, fuck.” Jungwon whistles. 

They’re both staring at a specific point above Jake’s head, with similar anxiety-riddled expressions on their faces.

Jake frowns, ”What? What now?” He turns his head around to look in the same direction that they are, and he sees—

—Sunghoon. Standing by the entrance of the library, a conflicted expression on his face that can only mean one thing. 

He heard them.

He totally heard them.

So Jake does the only reasonable thing that anyone in his position would do.

He pushes his chair back, stands up, and runs.

His shoes squeak noisily against the pristine floor of the library, and he’s pretty sure he’s on the murder list of that group that was seated behind him, but he genuinely could not care less. 

Luckily for him, the library has a second entrance situation at the back where there is thankfully no Sunghoon to be seen. 

Unluckily for him, however, he can vaguely hear Sunoo and Jungwon’s voices in the distance saying: “He went that way!”, so obviously Sunghoon is hot on his heels. 

But he is a soccer player, and the years of training has definitely paid off, because Jake is quite certain that he reaches the other entrance in no time, and when he pushes the glass door open, he finally finds his way out.

Or not.

Because Sunghoon is standing right there, already in front of the wall directly outside the library, waiting for him. 

Right. Vampire.

Jake has never thought of Sunghoon being a vampire as something predatory, but now, more than ever, he feels so much like a prey that all he wants to do is to escape.

But that’s nonsense. He is a werewolf, and werewolves stand their ground. He will not let himself be intimidated by Sunghoon. 

And perhaps Sunghoon didn’t even hear anything and Jake was just paranoid for no reason.

He straightens his back and takes a deep breath before looking Sunghoon in the eye.

”Sunghoon.”

“Jaeyun.” Sunghoon crosses his arms skeptically. Jake tries not to be distracted by it. “I heard what you said back in there. Are you serious?”

Jake’s ears visibly droop at his words. There goes his last chance of redeeming himself.

”You were at the door! How did you— is this another one of those vampire things again?”

Yeah, Jake has always suspected Sunghoon of having enhanced hearing, but nothing was ever confirmed so he just brushed it off!

”Yes. My five senses are all enhanced.” 

“What are you even doing here?” Jake exclaims, taking a brief peep at his watch. “It’s…already eleven!”

”Yeah, I came to find you because of the time. I dunno, I thought maybe something happened, and you weren’t answering your phone either, so I just…yeah.” Sunghoon looks away, scratching at his nape absentmindedly.

“Oh, um…Jungwon made us silence our phones so we didn’t have any distractions from our yearbook planning.” 

Sunghoon nods, gnawing on his bottom lip. Jake’s eyes follow the hint of tongue and the scrape of teeth with incredible focus. 

Now that Jake really has the chance to look at Sunghoon, he’s dressed so casually in their university’s hoodie and a pair of sweatpants that there’s no way he could’ve come from anywhere else but their dorm. That’s the outfit Sunghoon wears when he doesn’t need to go out for the day. 

His hair isn’t styled either, which is especially rare for someone like Sunghoon. That only means that him running out of their dorm to look for Jake was last minute and rushed.

Well, the fact that he’s still panting as he talks to Jake is just another clue.

Jake’s nose bridge stings and he kind of wants to break down into tears. Their dorm is all the way across the campus from the library, and Sunghoon still came to look for him, no holds barred. 

It reminds him of how Sunghoon said he would protect Jake forever, and how he called Jake “baby” in that very same conversation, and how that led Jake to confiding his overthinking in Jungwon and Sunoo, and how Sunghoon had overheard that just minutes ago.

It just goes full circle, doesn’t it?

Jake rakes his fingers through his hair in frustration, ”I know you probably don’t feel the same way, and i’m sorry for overthinking it, I just couldn’t get my mind off—“

”Woah. Wait, what do you mean I probably don’t feel the same way?” Sunghoon frowns.

Jake’s cheeks burn, and he fidgets in embarrassment, “You don’t have to try and make me feel better, okay? It’s already nice enough of you to have spent so much time with me even when I’m a were—“

He is suddenly truncated by Sunghoon pulling him into a hug, his arms snaking around Jake’s waist like a safety net. 

Jake hates how safe he feels in them, especially in a position like this where he’s forced to bare the weakest parts of himself to Sunghoon.

“What are you doing?” He mutters softly, voice muffled by Sunghoon’s hoodie.

“Jaeyun, I…” Sunghoon begins. Jake tries to pull away to look at Sunghoon’s face properly before he’s stopped by a hand lightly pressing down on the small of his back.

“Wait. Just let me say this first. Of course I like you! Romantically, platonically, in whatever way you want. How could I not? Do you not see how perfect you are? If you still don’t know that after all the time i’ve spent with you that just means i’m not doing a good enough job of reminding you of it. Jaeyun, i’m so in love with you it drives me crazy,” Sunghoon says, before finally pulling back slightly to put some space between them. “Please tell me you meant what you said in the library.”

He is breathless, sweaty, and slightly flushed, and Jake thinks that he wants to spend the rest of his life with this man.

He decides to take a leap of faith.

Jake swallows, reaching forward to grab Sunghoon by the face, slamming their lips together.

This might not be his first kiss, but it sure is the first kiss he actually feels something for.

Every show he’s watched about soulmates drifts back to the front of his mind, and for the first time in his life, Jake feels as if he might truly believe in all those bullshit portrayals. 

Because kissing Sunghoon feels like reaching for a cup of hot cocoa in the freezing cold. It feels like reaching for the sun, like watching fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

It’s everything he expected, but also nothing like anything he expected at all. 

People say that when you first kiss your soulmate, you establish a connection between you two; a thread of fate that joins your hearts in the most intimate way possible. 

Jake may not be able to see it, but he feels it all the same. 

He vaguely registers the impossible heat of Sunghoon’s palm on his hip, steadying the both of them. 

It’s perfect, because Jake feels as if he might just float away into the stratosphere like a balloon without it. 

They pull away from each other at the same time, and Jake leans his forehead against Sunghoon’s, still breathing heavily. 

“I take it this means that you did mean what you said?” Sunghoon smiles, fangs peeping out from beneath his upper lip.

Jake swats at him blithely, with what he’s sure is an indulgent grin on his face. “Yes, Hoon!” 

“Hey, i’m just making sure.” Sunghoon chuckles at Jake’s expression before pulling him back in again. 

5. Jealousy

”Jake, you better start calling your boyfriend right now before I blow up from impatience.” Jay scowls.

Heeseung sniggers lightly from beside him, as does Ni-ki. He’d managed to get into the same university as Jake through a soccer scholarship (that jake could’ve gotten!), and he was majoring in law. 

Jake is glad Ni-ki hasn’t faced any trouble with the whole werewolf thing yet, and he’s even made a few new friends in his major already. Besides, he also gets along well with all of Jake’s friends, so they’ve formed a rather tight-knit circle, though he still routinely complains about being a seventh wheel.

“I did! He said he’s held up in a lecture. Just be patient for a while more, will you?” Jake placates distractedly, still processing the word ‘boyfriend’ in his head.

Right. Park Sunghoon. His boyfriend. He can’t believe he gets to call Sunghoon his boyfriend now.

They’ve been together for five months and twenty-three days (yes, jake takes note of these things), and Jake could not be happier. 

He feels like everything, for possibly the first time in his life, is going the way it should go.

Sunghoon is an absolute angel, and he treats Jake so well that it feels too good to be true. It possibly all boils down to the fundamental fact that they are soulmates after all, so Sunghoon does understand him the best, but Jake thinks that even if they weren’t soulmates, he wouldn’t feel the same way with anyone else. 

Jake’s always had friends, but he’d never felt like he’d truly belonged to a particular crowd because of how he always stuck out. But with Sunghoon, he doesn’t even feel the need to hide his real self. 

Besides, it isn’t much different from how they were before they were dating, since they’d basically been in an unofficial relationship anyway. It’s just that now there’s a lot more kissing, and—

“Hey, baby,”

Jake startles for a moment when he feels someone’s cold fingers tickling his neck playfully. 

He tilts his head up to see Sunghoon standing over him, lips curled up in a loose grin. Jake bites down on his own lip to stop himself from grinning so hard. His stomach floods with warm, pleasant tingling.

“Hi, Hoonie.” Jake smiles, before Sunghoon bends down to kiss his forehead. He seats himself down, leaning his arm across the length of Jake’s chair. He briefly strokes Jake’s ears, a habit he’s had for a while now.

Admittedly, Jake doesn’t completely hate it. It feels rather nice, actually.

Jay fake gags a little and Jake gives him a withering look.

As if him and Jungwon aren’t just as bad, if not worse!

Sunghoon, as per usual, looks like a work of art. He doesn’t have practice today, so he’s dressed quite simply (for his standards) in a black button-up and matching fitted black slacks. It takes every inch of Jake’s self control not to pounce on him.

”Did I keep you guys waiting for too long?” 

“No!” Jake exclaims at the same time Jay and Heeseung say, “Yes.”

Jake rolls his eyes in exasperation, “Ignore them. We really didn’t wait that long.” 

Sunghoon nods lightly, looking slightly more relieved by Jake’s reassurance.

”Okay. Let’s get down to business now. I was thinking—“ 

“Wait. I’m kinda hungry. Can we get food first?” Heeseung interrupts.

Jay lets out a strangled shout, punching Heeseung on the arm. “The whole time we waited for Sunghoon and you couldn’t have gotten your food then?” 

Heeseung rubs his arm and shrugs sheepishly, standing up and leaving the table to join the queue in front of the snack stall. 

Jake stifles a laugh. He knows how hard Jay has been trying to gather all four of them for a proper discussion. Apparently, their university had a sports event that they wanted both the ice hockey team and the soccer team to co-host. 

Jay just decided to appoint himself as de-facto leader. Surprisingly, Heeseung didn’t put up any protest, but probably only because Sunoo threatened him not to. 

Speaking of food, however, Jake does feel his stomach rumble a little. He hasn’t eaten since last night, and it’s starting to take a toll on his energy level. 

“I think i’m gonna go get something too. Do you guys want anything?” He asks, pushing his chair back. 

Sunghoon gently halts him by grabbing onto his wrist before he can leave. “Need me to come with you?” 

He looks so genuinely concerned that Jake considers saying yes for a moment. He knows that Sunghoon always worries about him, especially since some people in their university can still have very old fashioned mindsets regarding non-humans like them.

”It’s fine, Hoon. I’m not a damsel in distress.” Jake rolls his eyes before delicately swiping Sunghoon’s bangs off his forehead in a promising gesture to keep safe.

People think of Sunghoon as intimidating and scary, but he’s really just a big baby once you get to know him. “You’ll be there if something goes wrong, anyway, right?” 

Sunghoon exhales briefly before finally nodding and letting go of Jake’s wrist.

Jake gives him a last heartening look before making his way toward the stall for sandwiches. 

Looks like many people are in the mood for a sandwich today, because to say the queue is long would be an understatement. Jake grabs a ham and cheese sandwich from the fridge before proceeding to the back of the queue. 

He distracts himself for a while by scrolling aimlessly on Instagram and before long, he realises that he’s almost at the front. 

“Hey. Jake, right?” Jake feels a light tap on his shoulder and he turns around to come face to face with a familiar looking guy. “I’m in your English Literature class.”

Oh, right. Jake has definitely seen this guy before. Choi Yeonjun— social butterfly, and the only other vampire Jake knows of in their university.

He’d been shocked to even see one shortly after finding out about Sunghoon. Vampires really aren’t a common sight, even today. Jake kinda remembers asking Sunghoon if he’d known Yeonjun, but apparently Sunghoon’s never heard of him.

He’s one of the more outspoken individuals in Jake’s minor of English Literature, and everyone adores him. He’s also strikingly good-looking, so that’s a plus. 

Jake thinks he’s pretty funny. 

“Oh! Yeonjun-ssi?” Jake asks excitedly, putting on his friendliest smile. He’s not gonna miss out on the chance to make a new friend.

Yeonjun laughs, “No need for the formalities! Yeonjun is fine. Did you just end soccer practice?” He eyes Jake’s outfit, which basically comprises of shorts and Sunghoon’s jacket haphazardly thrown over his soccer jersey.

“Mhm. Do you do sports too?” Jake questions bubbly, interested in finding out more about Yeonjun.

Jake had never dared to approach him first, but now that he has an opportunity, he’s not passing it up.

”I dabble in a bit of skateboarding sometimes,” Yeonjun grins, tossing his sandwich from one hand to another absentmindedly.

”Wow, really? I used to skateboard too! Well, back when I still lived in—“

Jake closes his mouth suddenly when he feels the familiar weight of an arm around his shoulder. His senses are instantly invaded with Sunghoon. 

“Time to pay, Jaeyun.” He says with a strange undertone, using his arm to steer Jake in the direction of the counter and away from Yeonjun.

Jake is temporarily distracted by having to fish around his wallet for his credit card, but he pays fast enough and stumbles to the side so that Yeonjun can do the same.

He still feels Sunghoon’s firm grip on his shoulder and he looks up slightly to raise an eyebrow.

Sunghoon looks back down at him with a poker face.

“Right. See you around, Ikeu?” Yeonjun teases, placing his wallet back into his pocket, done with paying. 

“We’ll see you around.” Sunghoon replies, eyes narrowed into little slits. Jake frowns at him.

“Bye, Yeonjun-hyung!” Jake waves as Yeonjun smirks bemusedly before saluting him and leaving. 

“What’s your problem?” Jake exclaims, slapping Sunghoon on his side with the still wrapped sandwich while they make their way back to the table. “And why are you here, anyway? I thought I told you I was fine.”

Sunghoon flinches, clutching his side dramatically. “Nothing! I just…wanted to come over and help you…carry the sandwich?” He crosses his arms obstinately.

Jake looks at him skeptically, refusing to break eye contact.

Finally, Sunghoon relents, though not without some vacillation. “…Ikeu?” 

“It’s a funny nickname!”

”I call you Ikeu.”

”No way,” Jake feels a hint of a smile gracing his lips. “Park Sunghoon, are you…jealous?”

Sunghoon knits his brows, looking away pointedly. “No.” 

Jake giggles, reaching a hand out to tenderly turn Sunghoon’s face back to him. 

For someone with such a pallid complexion, Sunghoon blushes easily and noticeably, and it’s in times like this that Jake truly appreciates that.

”You’re so jealous!” He teases.

Sunghoon lets out an exasperated grunt. “Fine. Fine, I am! But you can’t blame me! Everyone’s always trying to steal you away all the time. Who knows, maybe you’ll leave me for another vampire, huh?” 

Jake grabs Sunghoon’s hand, interlocking their fingers so tightly that there’s room left for neither space nor doubt.

“Are you crazy? You’re everything I need! Why would I ever think of looking at anyone else. Let alone another vampire, Hoon! Besides, Yeonjun-hyung already has a boyfriend, so stop being jealous already, you big baby.”

Sunghoon has the decency to look abashed, proceeding to comfortingly rub circles on the back of Jake’s hand with his thumb. 

“Can you guys hurry up? Sunoo and Jungwon are already here from their previous council meeting, and even Heeseung is back from getting food!” Jake turns around, annoyed, to see Jay gesturing for them to hurry, shouting across the cafeteria without humiliation of any sort. 

Jake doesn’t know how he does it.

Nevertheless, he doesn’t want to waste more time getting chastised by Jay, so he grips tightly onto Sunghoon’s hand, pulling him to quicken their pace before he’s abruptly stopped in his tracks again by said hand pulling him backwards instead. 

“Wait, Yunie. I— I know I haven’t said this yet, but I want you to know that I really do love—“

Jake inhales sharply.

His face brightens up in an instant, and he lets go of Sunghoon’s hand to grab him by the shoulders and enthusiastically peck him on the lips.

”I love you too.” 

“I was gonna say I love your sandwich, but I guess that works too,” Sunghoon teases, an infuriating grin on his face. 

His face softens slightly before he continues, “I’m really glad that you’re my soulmate, Jaeyun-ah.”

Jake thinks that he’s never been happier. 

In lieu of a reply, Jake simply places his hand on Sunghoon’s neck to pull him in for another kiss. 

He thinks he hears Ni-ki’s groan in the distance.

5. Jealousy Park Sunghoon totally loves Jake Sim (proven!!!)